Willow the Deceiver
by trumpetgal
Summary: Willow is a Victor from District 8 who won the 66th Hunger Games, and is reaped once again with her twin brother to compete in the Third Quarter Quell. She is asked to be in alliance with her friends Finnick and Johanna to protect Katniss in the arena, as she also leaves behind her love for a District 5 mentor. Will she survive? No Cashmere or Gloss, sorry Willow/OC
1. Willow the Deceiver

I woke up to the sound of rain hitting my window. The soft pattering rhythm of the water cascading down the glass made my eyes open. But it wasn't the sound that woke me.

It was the memory.

I woke up from a nightmare, the same nightmare i've lived with for the past 8 years, when I was on my back of the floor of a foreign place with a tribute looking right over me, spear in hand, ready to kill me. If I didn't move once centimeter over, let the spear hit the floor before I killed him…if I hadn't moved…..I would be dead.

But in this nightmare, he killed me. If only it was real.

I rose from my bed, looking out the window and seeing the gray skies over the my district, my home. I pulled on a jacket from my wardrobe, the same wardrobe that was given to me by the Capitol as I close my green eyes and relive the nightmare in my head.

_"It's only you and me now."_

_"Please, I beg of you…don't do this."_

_"No wonder no one sponsored you…you're pathetic."_

_No…NO!"_

I snap out of it and pull the jacket closer to my chest, walking out of my room and down the stairs. It's already warm and the fire's already going. It must of been my servants coming and putting on the fire for me when I was trying to shake off the nightmare. I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, going over to the window and peering out from there. The kitchen was clean, giving me a feel as though I lived in the woods. In fact, the whole mansion made me feel like I was in the woods, made of oak and redwood with wooden chairs and chandeliers and all. It must of been designed that way, since the other homes were all marble and I couldn't stand living in a marble home. It wasn't like my old home, which was a mere apartment that was one bedroom and one bathroom.

I could see past the rain, the small courtyard that was in front of all the homes and then the huge iron gate with the letters spelled out over the entry, like an arch.

Victor's Village

I am a Victor from District 8, the only one that is female to be exact. The last female victor from my district died 2 years ago while I was mentoring at the 73rd Hunger Games, and I'm only 24 years old. Being a victor was nothing that I ever wanted. In fact, I never thought I would make it out alive from the Hunger Games. Nor did my brother, whom is also a victor from 9 years ago. You see, we both are fraternal twins, and yet we both survived the Hunger Games two years apart from one another. It was my brother, Finnick Odair from District 4, and then there was me. That's unheard of, especially from District 8 since we are mostly known for our textiles and dress making. I used to be a dress maker, before I was reaped at the age of 16.

I was the second youngest victor in Hunger Games history, right behind Finnick Odair from District 4 who was 14 years old, and my own brother. My brother is Samson, whom was remembered in the Capitol as Samson the Strong, since my brother had a good amount of strength behind him. But that was not his main weapon of choice, nor was it mine when I was reaped.

We both were specific.

Coming from a District that looks at the specific items of clothing and how they should or should not be, we both used our own minds as weapons. We knew details, and we looked for them. I knew my brother was looking for the weaknesses and shortcomings of his enemies when he walked around in the desert dome of the games, he saw what made the tributes tick, and what didn't, using that against him. As I watched from the screen in my own District, seeing my brother snake around and use his knowledge of needles and fine thread to stop tributes, I knew he knew what he was doing.

He was good, and he won for it.

When he came home, everything changed. We moved to Victor's Village, settling into a marble home that they gave him and starting living a life that we knew was not the same as our old lives. The only other residences in the village were three other Victors from the past winnings. Two were males, Howard and Fletch, and both were in their 50's. My brother told me Fletch was his mentor when he went into the games and was very kind to him. The third was the female, Sage. She was in her 80's, winning 20th Hunger Games when she was 17 years old. But she died two months after the 73rd games, right after we moved into our new home and I only talked to her a few times. So there were only three male tributes left in Victor's Village, and we were the new residents.

My brother's nightmares kept me up at night, having me go to him and calm him down. He told me stories, of him having to kill when he was in the area. Before the games, my brother was sane. He was the peacemaker in our family, making sure nothing or no one was hurting me. He was the eldest, and I looked to him for guidance and peace. But seeing him break in front of me, seeing him fall to pieces and cry as if someone broke his heart and make his mind bend, it broke my own heart. I would on'y hold him, hush him form the fears and memories.

_"It's okay Sam! Samson, look at me!" I said to him as he sobbed in his bed at 3 am, rocking back and forth with tears pouring down his fair face and his bronze hair dancing in the blue moonlight. I grabbed his shoulders, shaking him until he looked at me. His eyes, the same eyes we shared as twins, were looking at me in disbelief and sorrow. I smiled at him and caressed his face gently, feeling the cold sweat on his face and neck._

_"It's all a dream. You're safe." I said to him as softly as I could. I used the same voice as our mother did when she was alive, when we would be scared at him she could reassure us all is well. I saw him nod his head as I hugged him close to my body and felt him shaking in my embrace. _

_"It's so real, I can still hear their screams." Sam said into my chest as I hushed him quietly and I felt him clutch onto me. But I knew he wasn't safe, as I got him to go back to sleep and walk back to my room, I knew deep in my head._

He was never going to be safe.

But when I was called two years later, feeling my feet stomp my way up step by step, I could feel my heart slowly dye when no one was there to save me. I looked on, seeing my twin brother, in his Victor's clothes and my father standing by in horror as I shook hands with the male tribute who was to fight with and against me, Ash. Ash was 17 while I was 16, standing very gawkily and having chestnut brown hair that swept over his brown eyes and high cheekbones. He was a factory worker like my brother before he was reaped, and I was the dress maker.

The odds weren't with us.

We were rushed into the office of the mayor, getting our last goodbyes and send offs before our escort took us on the train. My fat he rugged me tightly, telling me he loved me fore than anything. I told him the same, knowing that I wasn't going to come back. But it was my brother, who hugged me the longest and told me what to do in the arena.

_"Find their weaknesses, all of them. Use that as your weapon, that and your knowledge of making objects." He explained to me._

_"I only make dresses Samson, I have no chance." I said to him, using his full name but seeing him shake his head and frame my face in his hands._

_"You need to survive this, sis. I'm telling you, you need to come back alive. You're smart, hell, you're smarter that me. I know for a fact that you can get out of there alive. So I need you to concentrate when you're there, okay?" He asked me aloud, having me nod my head with my own tears coming down my face._

_"Remember what I told you, look at the weaknesses of the tributes and use those against them. Look at the details, find the details. You know about details from all of the dresses you've made, use that in there." Sam explained to me before I heard the doors opening._

_"Look after dad, stay together for me." I said to him one last time before he kissed the side of my head, leaving the room before I could say goodbye to him. _

I was rushed onto the train with Ash and we were off to the Capitol. Before we knew it, we were in the tribute parade in front of President Snow and wearing outfits that matched our District. Although in times past, the outfits for 8 were ridiculous and made the tributes look like clowns, the year I was reaped, we didn't look silly at all. I think they finally chose to have someone with fashion sense come in and do the job properly, so we were given outfits that resembled the night sky. Dark blue to black with stars all over the outfits. My dress was slowly, showing the curves that I harbored and making my fair skin more light and pure with the stars dancing on the top layer of fabric down to the the ends of the dress. My hair was in a fancy wrapped bun and my make up was dark around the eyes. I looked more mysterious than ever.

That was my play.

During training, I went for how to use rope or a snare, and how to make a fire. I saw the other working on weapons and how to use them, making me think I should try to get my hands on a weapon. But I also knew they were making alliances with once another, and I was the target since I was too mysterious for their own good. I didn't want allies at that point, since I had no hope for winning. But Ash stuck close to me, showing me a way to use a slingshot.

_"Go like this." He said to me as he threw the sling out and towards the target, hitting the head hard and having me hear a crack. I smiled, the first time since I was reaped and I took the sling._

_"How did you do that?" I asked him aloud as I got myself ready to throw._

_"Older brothers. They showed me when we had time to kill at the factory." He explained to me as I threw out the rock. I missed by three feet. Ash only chuckled and grabbed another rock, having me fuss in my spot._

_"Try it again, like this." He said to me, throwing the sling with ease. It took me three tries to hit the target. Having me glad he was on my team, though we would both be dead within hours of the games._

_We knew, there was no chance with us. _

I got my hands on a bow and arrow, testing it out a few times and hitting the target, but not perfectly. It was nice to use a few weapons up my sleeve in case something were to happen. Next was my evaluation, in which I was given a 7. That was normal, and Ash was given a 8. We both were normal, and that's how it was supposed to be.

Our interviews went off without a hitch, my designer having me wear something of the sunrise in the sky. Strapless with the top of the dress yellow, then morphing into red, then maroon and then purple. The red hair that I harbored was in looks curls around me and my eyes were no longer surrounded by blue and black, but light pink and gold to resemble the sun. Ash was just as majestic as I was, with a orange sun-setted vest and slacks along with dress shoes and his hair slicked to the side. But although I answered all of the questions given to me by Ceasar Flickerman, having the smile on my face when he asked me, "Now darling, how will you win this years games?" I would only smile and look to the crowd, simply saying in a sweet voice, "With my wits, Casear." The crowd cheered, and I knew I fooled them.

But I didn't fool myself. We had no chance.

The first day of the games, it was set in the forests near District 12. Cold, Treaterous, and dangerous. But I knew I had to survive alone, not having any luck with allies. But there was a speck of hope for Ash, my own District partner, so we both stuck together throughout the first few days of the games. I only grabbed one backpack with little or no help for survival, having to rely of my knowledge of how to make a fire. Within the first night, hiding out in the ruins of the dome and seeing about 11 faces lit up in the sky, Ash found me, with a bow and barrel filled with arrows in hand.

_"How did you get this?" I asked him in surprise, feeling the bow and arrows in my numb fingers as he passed the weapon to me. He smiled as I looked at him in the darkness._

_"The girl from 3 had it, but she was knocked out by the guy from 1. He didn't bother taking it, and after he bolted for the mountains, I grabbed it. I knew you would want it since you're pretty good at it. And I also got two slings for us that were in the Cornocopia." He explained, showing me the two slings that were clearly meant to be at the bloodbath. I grabbed on and shoved it in my backpack, looking back at him in disbelief._

_"How did you survive that whole thing?" I asked him in interest. He shifted from one foot to another._

_"I backed away from the bloodbath, going to the forest and waiting for the lot to clear out. I knew I had a better chance at hiding then at going in there." He explained to me,"We should stick together for awhile, and I know you're pretty smart with making small handy things. We can use that against them." I smiled, knowing that I found my first ally of the game._

And he was my only ally.

We both walked around together for the next few days, setting up booby traps and snares from our knowledge of blending and mending things together. Those worked in our favors, since we would watch from the trees and see at least 4 tributes get caught in a snare and die at the hands of the careers who heard their screams. The snares were simple ones, but we both knew how to make them from thread we created from the supply of the forest. We only had one butcher knife from Ash's pack, a canteen from mine, rope and other small things. Ash learned a thing or two from his brothers after having some hunting experience, and we both knew how to work with small tools from the trade of textile.

We used our brains, not our brawn.

Ash died on the fourth day of the Games, dying to the hands of the Girl from 1. I watched as he was killed in front of me and I had a split decision to defend myself after he fell, by grabbing the axe that was in his chest and throwing it at the girl in her own chest. She fell, and she was my first kill.

First of many.

Since Ash's death, I was more determined to stay alive, just for the sake of my District. There were only 4 left in the arena, including myself and I knew I was only female left. The rest were from 1, 2 and 5. They were strong, mighty, and could take me out with one blow from their fists. I had to be smart, I had to outwit them. Most of the games was revolved around running away from them, but now I had to run towards them.

I knew the boy from District 5 couldn't swim, I saw him being jumpy around the lakes that were in the mountains from previous observations. I leeward him to the frozen lake of the mountains late in the night, the two other tributes were behind him but watched him as I ran with him behind me on my tail. I saw the moment before me, the low beam from a tree branch above the lake and I jumped, grabbing the branch as he slipped and fell into the freezing cold grave. The cannon shot off as I landed on the branch, looking behind me with a arrow drawn at the bow at 2. I knew he was slow, almost like a ape with no speed, so within second I aimed, hitting him in the left eye and seeing him gasp for air. I kept going, knowing 1 was going to be right behind me as the second cannon went off.

We both were running through a field of grass in the darkest night, having me trip and fall to the ground in a grunt, the pain of my shine as hitting me hard as he stood over me with a spear in hand. As I begged for him to spare me, knowing that it would not work, He stepped on the trip wire I set up, causing a sharpened stick to ram into his leg and stab him. He was stuck in the trap, screaming at the top of his lung as I got up and grabbed my backpack. Inside was the poison dart tube, loaded and ready since I snagged it from the girl from 1 after she killed Ash. I aimed at his neck, shooting and watching him writhe with the poison in his system for forty seconds before dying in the field.

I won the game.

Being whisked away and back to the Capitol was surreal to me, as if it was a outer body experience. I was numb, feeling nothing but the pain of Ash's death in my mind, seeing the other Districts fall to my brain, and knowing that I wasn't going to be the same for the rest of my life. I was going to be their faces, covered in blood and pain, Ash;s white face as the blood was drained from him though I only talked to him once or twice before our time in the arena, and the knowledge that the nightmare was never going to be over.

Never.

I was known as the Deceiver, since I should that I was weak when I was in fact smart. Caesar had a field day with my interview, asking me about the traps and the snares I used in order to win. I only smiled and answered them softly and politely, playing my role.

When inside I was screaming.

After being taken home and going through the victory tour, I knew I had to play the proud daughter from District 8 role, showing my pride in the textile practice and wearing clothes that represented my home. But inside, I was never the same, hearing the screams and seeing the faces of those that were lost. But it was worse, they were children, mere children. And I killed at least 4 of them in order to breathe. I smiled at every District on the tour, but I knew that was a show, and they didn't want to see me. Some of them, I knew, hated me, since I killed their son or their daughter.

And I would hate me too.

8 years as come and gone, and I knew that it was going to be harder as the years went by longer and longer. I only had a few handful of friends to rely on, and my father and brother were still alive. It was only a matter of time and I, Willow the Deceiver, would ever find my way back to the Hunger Games. Not only as a mentor, but as a tribute.

Time was not on my side. Not this time.


	2. 71st Hunger Games

~ 4 years ago, the 71th Hunger Games ~

I sit in the Mentor viewing room as I see mentors leave one by one, their tributes dying at the bloodbath and the look of defeat on their faces. I only look in horror as I see one of my tributes get slain by a sword to the chest, by none other than a boy from District 1. I sighed, rubbing my eyes as I sat in the viewing room and kept watching. Over and over I watched the tributes slaying each other, but it was more desperate than for the viewing pleasure of Panem. The younger the kids were, the more sloppy they were.

I only sat in the chair twirling my red wavy hair in my fingers, hoping that this day was already over. This was nothing new to me, knowing that the tributes under my care were not going to listen t me since the only thing not heir minds were trying to live, and that gets them killed. After the first few years of mentoring, I stopped having the feelings coming through and crying over the falling kids, since I knew it was going to be normal. I rubbed my eye lids gently and needed a drink at that moment.

"You'd think they would listen to a word we would say." I heard next to me, seeing Finnick Odair standing by the door with his arms crossed in front of him and a sour look on his face. I grinned, getting up from my spot and walking over to him as well. He was a popular vote with the people of Panem, more like eye candy and he used that to his favor. And since he won the games the year before me and the year after my brother, he was still young and was still looked at fondly. Being from District 4, he knew how work a trident that was given to him in the games, the most expensive gift even given in the game's history. But after he won, I saw him a few times with the tributes when I was playing the games, seeing him as attractive.

Since we were mentors now, we became friends since we were spending time together as mentors. We talked year after year, getting to know each other and swapping stories of our own time in the arena. But it was the fact that he was very close to my brother Samson that he would visit out district from time to time. He even helped with the nightmares and the shocks of the aftermath that Samson endured, much better than I could ever do.

"You know how it is. The younger they are, the more naive they get." I said to him as we faced each other and shared a small smile. We both looked at the screen once more and saw that all of our tributes were dead that this point. Finnick sighed and pointed to the door leading back out into the Capitol grounds.

"Wanna go see Mags?" He asked me aloud in curiosity. I nodded my head and we both walked out of the room, seeing about 5 mentors still watching the games. I stopped watching once I knew my tributes were gone, most mentors do. Finnick wrapped a arm around my shoulder as we both walked down the hallway, seeing the Capitol citizens walk by in their glamourous clothes. Finnick would dress to impress, since he was eye candy for the Capitol, but I was more likely to wear comfortable clothes from District 8. My hair was half up and half down, the red hair shinning in the lights above us as we walked.

"It seems like it's getting worse year after year." I murmured aloud, hearing him chuckle next to me as we walked, "I mean, I understand this is brutal. But it doesn't seem like anything we say to them is going through."

"Did you even listen to your own mentor when you were in the games?" He asked me aloud in curiosity. I smirked from my spot.

"My mentor was a idiot. He told me to go and climb a tree, since he thought I was a monkey." I replied back to him as we turned a corner. I looked up at Finnick, "Did you listen to Mags?"

"Well at the time I was 14 and cocky. But I did listen to her for a couple of things. Trust me, Mags was good to me as a mentor." Finnick said to me. I nodded my head, knowing that it was true what he said about Mags.

"Well, you did manage to survive." I said to him in a comment.

"As did you, Willow the Deceiver." He said to me as we walked over to the tribute lounger area. The perk of being a mentor, you got access to areas other citizens would not have access to, including food and drinks. It was one of the very few perks of being a Victor, other than people praising you for slaying human beings that were innocent.

I see Mags, both sitting alone at the tribute lounge that was nicely decorated and lit. Of course, the Hunger Game itself was on the TVs everywhere, with people watching everywhere. AS we both walked over to meet her, I looked up at the screen, seeing a girl from District wielding a axe and running through the arena.

"Hey Mags." Finnick said aloud in a grin, kissing the side of Mags's head as he sat next to her. I sat on the other side of her and felt her take my hand in her. Her skin felt soft against my own skin that was covered in scars and freckles. She smiled at me, the smile that I knew what going to make things better. I looked at her as if she was my own flesh and blood. SHe was very kind to me, and I could tell Finnick loved her as a grandmother.

"How are you Mags?" I asked her aloud in a soft tone, giving her a soft smile as she tapped the hand in hers. She only grinned and nodded her head, showing that she was fine. I saw the waiter walk over to our table.

"Two red wines and one glass of water please." Finnick ordered for us as Mags pointed to the screen at the games. We both looked and saw the girl from 7, talking to another tribute and looking like she was in tears. The talk lasted for a few minutes before she threw the axe into the girls chest. I was taken back, seeing the tactic used on her.

"She's a feisty one, eh Mags?" I said in a smirk as I looked back at Mags. She only nodded her head.

"I think she'll win." Finnick replied from his spot, looking at the screen and I went from the screen to him.

"You think she can play that card?" I asked him aloud with curiosity. Finnick looked at me with curiosity.

"What do you mean?" He asked me, having me smile and point to the screen. The girl was still on the screen, running through the forest and having the axe close at hand.

"Did yo not see her at the training, and now here? She's playing the victim, letting the tributes think she's weak and can't defend herself. Well, up until the last minute when she uses that axe." I explained to him, having the three of us look at the screen. She was good, knowing how to play her cards right. It was a risky play, but none the less a good one.

"Clever." Finnick replied aloud after realizing what I was saying. The waiter placed the drinks on the table. I took one drink as I watched some of the other tributes drying pathetically from others. It was hard for me to watch sometimes, because I knew the younger they were, the less they there thinking and the faster they were dying.

"Do they even know how quick they're dying." I said aloud without thinking as Mags drank her water next to me, shaking her had with the process, "The younger they get, the quicker they die."

"The only ones that get a thrill out of are the Careers." Finnick said to me from his spot, taking a drink from his own glass. I watched the screen again, seeing the Career pack chase after three tributes and killing them off with grins on their faces. It was like a smaller game one would play when they were children, though they still are children.

"Do they know what they are really doing?" I asked in a softer tone. I felt Mags squeeze my gently, hearing the pain in my voice and knowing that I was about to go through some pain. But I looked at Finnick next to me, seeing the seriousness on his face.

"It's all part of their world, Willow." Finnick reminded me as I looked from the screen to him. I could see it was killing him too, and I knew the same for Mags. I sighed as the waiter gave us our drinks and we sat in quiet and peace, for the first time since the 71th games even started.

* * *

"How is Annie doing by the way? Better than before?" I asked Finnick as we were talking back to the mentor room for the day, knowing that we should watch at least a little bit more before we called it a night. The sun was setting on the Capitol and the hype was dying down a bit.

"Oh, she's doing a bit better here and there. You know how it is, good days and bad days." FInnick explained to me. SInce the year before, Annie Cresta was not doing so good as a Victor of the 70th Hunger Games. Even though Finnick was her mentor, he still helped her through the aftermath, and even developed a crush on her along the way. It was a slow process, but I could see he cared for her. I met her once or twice on her good days, but I did see her on the days where she was on the brink of insanity.

"That's good to hear. Maybe sometime this year I'll good visit her." I said to him aloud, see in a smile on his face. Then out of nowhere, I run into someone coming out of the mentoring room. I knock into them without looking and I take a few steps back. Whoever it was a bit taller than me, but was not as built as Finnick. No, he was a bit gawky. I opened my eyes a bit and saw it was a male.

A male mentor.

"Oh i'm sorry, I didn't see you." he said to me, his voice was friendly and kind compared to the other mentors that are harsh and brash. I looked, seeing he was in back a bit gawky with brown hair swept to the side and large brown eyes. He had a button nose, a strong jawline and a small smile on his face. No doubt, he looked rather kind and warm hearted, something often overlooked with the mentors.

"It's fine really, I wasn't paying attention." I said to him, seeing him have a small smile on his face as he looked at me up and down. His eyes were what threw me off, they were warm. They had warmth like heat in the brown of his eyes, as if they were inviting people to talk to him.

"I know you, you're Willow the Deceiver. Mentor for District 8." He said to me in almost a matter-of-fact tone of voice. I smirked, raising a eyebrow at him. It seemed as though he knew me more than I knew him, and since I knew most of the mentors at the Games, I wonder why I never got to know him.

"My reputation is going around I'm guessing." I said to him aloud, crossing my arms in front of him. He merely laughed and shook his head.

"Only your hair. I remember your hair from when you are in the arena." He replied back to me, holding out his hand for me to shake, "I'm Oliver Watson. District 5 Victor." I gently took his hand and shook it as Finnick finally piped up.

"You won the 62nd, didn't you?" Finnick asked him aloud in curiosity. Oliver nodded his head and I was still trying to figure out how he only knew me from my hair.

"Finnick Odair, I'm a bit of a fan of yours." Oliver said to Finnick, shaking his hand as they smiled at each other.

"I don't recognize you as the District 5 mentor." Finnick commented aloud to Oliver. I snapped out of my daze, looking back at Oliver. For some reason, I couldn't stop looking at him, but it was the fact that when he would look at me, I would look away from him and down at my feet.

"I'm new to the mentor business this year. The Mentor who usually does it is sick and it doesn't look like its getting better on his end. I took over for now until further notice." Oliver explained aloud as he folded his hands in front of him. I looked at his hands, seeing how rough they were compared to FInnicks' hands, and also seeing some scars on there as well. I knew he was a Victor, and he must of been carrying some scars with him since he was in the arena, but was there more to him?

"Well, I'm off for the day, going to talk to some sponsors for a bit. I have one tribute still alive in the game and hopefully she pulls through. Tough luck for both of yours." Oliver said in friendly conversation as he walked past us. There was a small smile on his face as he looked back at me.

"I'll see you around, Red." He said to me in a smirk as he walked away, a spring in his step as Finnick and I looked on at him.

"I recognized him from his games. That was brutal." Finnick said under his breath as we both walked back into the room. I said nothing, still thinking about his face in my head. But this was insane, the both of us were mentors in a brutal game, and I only met the guy. I killed people, yet I was acting like a child.

What in the hell?

"Haymitch." Finnick said aloud in a matter of fact tone, having me snap out of my thoughts and see the District 12 mentor sitting alone in the mentor room, only having half a bottle of scotch in his hand and looking at the screen with a blank stare. I looked at him as well, seeing his eyes glaze over the screen in front of him and seeing both of his tributes dead in the fields of the arena. I knew this was not what he wanted to do, since he became a drunk after the Capitol took all he loved. It was price he paid for being defiant against Snow, for being different rebellious. And now he was living it for the rest of his life.

"Pretty boy and freckles, what a nice surprise." He said in his usual drunk tone, getting up from his seat and looking over at the both of us. He hasn't shaved in days and his hair was greasy, not a great way of taking care of yourself. I looked at him up and down, having me belief he was in no mood for hygiene.

"Sorry for the loss of your tributes." I said to him in a soft tone, something mentors would say to each other when their tributes die in battle. Haymitch walked walked towards the door without looking at either of us and I smelt the alcohol on his breath and clothes.

"I'm not." He replied to us aloud in a grunt as he left the room. I had fear then, knowing that something in my life could snap and make me booming Haymitch in the future. The loss of a loved one, even, could make me fall to despair. If not me, then Samson.

"Finnick?" I asked aloud, seeing Finnick look from Haymitch to me with a curious look in his eye.

"I don't wanna end up like him." I said in almost a fearful tone. I felt him take my hand in his and I looked up at him, seeing him look at me with seriousness.

"I won't let that happen. To you….nor to your brother." Finnick said to me in a serious tone. I knew Finnick was a good friend and ally whenever I needed him, and I trusted him when helping my wounded life to get back together. He did it with Samson, and he did it with me. BUt how much longer can we take it as Mentors?

When will it end?


	3. The Start of the Spark

Present time

I open the door to our home and I see Finnick Odair at the front door, smiling at me. It's winter now in District 8, and there harsh winds and snow have been coming through the District, especially through Victor Village as I let Finnick come in and close the door behind him. He was wearing a warm coat with pants and boots, looking already handsome for a interview. Finnick comes to visit once a month for dinner, wanting to check on both myself and Samson. Even though he hasn't competed in the games in over a decade, Finnnick understood the nightmares and the visions we would have from our time in the games. Some days were better than others, but most of the time the nightmares were getting worse for me. Samson on the other hand has been getting better and better as the nights go on.

"How was the trip here?" I asked him as I hugged him in the hallway. Finnick hugged me back fully, almost lifting me up from the ground. After placing me on the ground, he smiled and shrugged.

"Not bad really. I'm used to the cold now since there's a current coming in at home." Finnick replied as we both walked over to the living room, "Where's Samson?"

"He went to the market to get some firewood and check on our dad in the factory." I explained to him as we sat in the couches of the living room. SInce my mansion of Victor's Village was the theme of a cabin, the room was tinted in brown and gold from the wood on the walls and ceilings, making it more cozy of us to sit in, "How's Annie?"

"She's doing fine." He replied to me, having me look at him with a raised eyebrow. I knew he was hiding something from me, and from the look in his eye it was something rather important. I eyed him, seeing him look back at me with the same look of shadiness.

"You're hiding something." I said to him a confident tone. He looked at me with a hard long stare, as if trying to read my mind. He then sighed and looked down at his spot at his folded hands.

"There's a uprising happening at my District." He said to me, having me look at him with confusion and shock in my eyes. It doesn't sound right to me, it sounded like it wouldn't come from 4 but from a poor district, my own District. Was that even allowed, could they do that in 4?

"How did it start?" I asked him, trying to remain calm from the news that I heard from him.

"I don't know precisely, but I think I have a hunch. The two victors from District 12." He explained to me, having med it back in my spot and rubbed my eyes in confusion. I watched the 74th Hunger Games, seeing two kids from District 12 come out and defy the Capitol by proclaiming their love for one another and wish to die together than to loose each other. It worked for the rest of Panem, but I knew there was a catch to it.

"The lovers? Are you serious?" I asked him aloud, seeing him nod his head.

"And it's not just my District that's in revolt, well, that's what I heard." Finnick said aloud to me as I looked back at him from my spot on the couch. I could see his face being painted in the orange glow of the fire in the fireplace.

"Whatever that did in the arena a year ago, people are talking about it. Both good and bad, but I wanted you and your brother to know." Finnick said aloud to me in almost a warning tone. It was as if he was trying to prevent something from happening to us. I raised my eyebrow at him once more. What was he implying, that we were in trouble?

"What do you mean Finnick." I asked him in a serious tone. Before he could even answer the questions, I heard something popping outside of Victor's Village. It was loud, and it was violent. I knew what that was: gunshots.

Something big happened.

I got up from the couch and walked over to the window, peering out into the courtyard that was beyond Victor's Village. I could see people running around screaming and fires starting in the middle of the square. I panicked, knowing my brother and father were somewhere in there and I had to go find them.

"Willow, don't think about it." Finnick started with me, but I ran for my jacket in the hallway and opened the front door. I opened it, feeling the chill of the night hit me hard as I looked behind me at Finnick.

"I need to find Samson and my dad." I said to him in a stern tone. He looked like he was about argue with me, but he knew that arguing with me was the last thing he wanted to do. He sighed and we both bolted out of the house and towards the square of District 8. All around me was mass chaos, Peacekeepers were shown people around and the people were fighting against them, and I saw a few of them falling to the floor from the blow of the Peacekeepers.

"Where would your dad and brother be?" Finnick asked over the noise of the crowd. I felt him grab my arm in case we were going to get lost in the crowd.

"The factory, it's back here." I said to him in reply. The factory that my dad and brother used to work was at the back end of the courtyard, a large brick building with pipes and chimneys poking out of the ceiling and plenty of glass to see inside. From what I saw, no one was inside. Everyone moved outside of the factory into the streets for the riot that was starting. Finnick and I bolted to the factory, dodging people left and right as I reach the front door. I threw it open, the both of us going in and closing the door behind us.

"Sam!" I yelled, hearing my echo in the room and the factory being bounced all around the walls. I knew this factory, since I would come and help my father from time to time when I was younger. I went over to the first set of stairs, which lead to the second story and the boss's office. I ran up two steps at a time and when I reached the second story, I saw the two people I needed to see: Samson and my dad. They were the only ones there, everyone else gone and in the streets. They both wee looking out at the crowd with solum looks on their faces and I could tell they were affected by this. I walked over with Finnick slowly, not saying a word at first but watching them both. Their faces, though at first showed nothing, said everything about their pain.

"All this over the kids from District 12." My father said aloud as I silently took my brother's hand in his. I felt him squeeze his hand in mine as I watched the crowd as well. WE were silent for a moment or two.

"Who knew the Hunger Games would do something like this." I said aloud without even thinking. My father looked over at me, and I could see the pain in his eyes. Sometimes I took for granted what he went through as a parents, seeing not only a child go through the reaping and risk dying, but two children. His only children, both were reaped and going to the games. He almost lost the both of us, his only family and only sense of joy. There was the risk of leaving him alone for the rest of his life. I never realized the pain my father had to endure when he would watch either Samson or myself being an inch away from death. What that must of been like for him, I could't imagine.

"I knew, since I watched you both leave me and risk never seeing you alive again. And for this to happen….it took one moment of realization." My father said aloud, looking from me to the crowd once more. It look one person to defy the capitol and their way of life, their rules, and their justice, and this begins. District 12 realized who they were as pawns in the game of life, and they changed the rules. We were silent then, watching the riot go on for what seemed like hours. it was the start of something, something big.

* * *

_"Ash! No Ash no, please don't leave me! NO ASH NO!"_

I shot up from the bed screaming Ash's name that night, for the first time in what seem like days. Not that I didn't have nightmares, I did. But this was worst, the nightmare of Ash and his death. I could see the axe slamming into his chest and his face going white from the draining of his own blood on the axe. I remember holding his head in my hands as killing the Girl from 1 who killed him, seeing him gasp for air in my embrace and his eyes going still. I held him for awhile until the glider took him away.

I grasped my chest violently as I heard the door opening and someone rushing in. I didn't now I was sobbing until Sampson was rocking me back and forth in his embrace. I clutched onto him, feeling his strong chest against my skin and breathing him in. He smelled like the factory and a hint of fire from the fireplace. I breathed him in over and over, the only way I knew this was reality and not a dream. That I was awake and I was no longer in the arena.

"You're okay now." Sampson said aloud, stroking my hair and having me sob turn into subtle cries. I still saw Ash in my head, cold and dead. I need knew him well, but I knew he helped me and wanted to stay alive with me as long as he could. I looked past Sampson and saw Finnick at the doorway of the room, his silhouette form the glow of the hallway was seen. I knew he nodded his head as me as Sampson calmed me down.

"Breathe Willow. You're here now, you're not back there." He said to me over and over as I tried to breathe once more, but somehow I was still hyperventilating. It was his turn now to comfort me and to protect me from the horrid memories and nightmares. No matter how hard he tried, he could never take that from me. I knew it was the same for him, that he would never be the same.

I was in my own living nightmare, never to wake up.

* * *

72nd Hunger Games

I walked from my own apartment at the Capitol to the Mentor Room, meeting with Mags and Finnick for our usual get together with lunch and to talk with the other mentors before we met with our tributes. I had two new tributes who were reaped and like other years, I knew they had no chance from the moment I met them. Now it sounded harsh, but it was pretty much true since I could tell from one look or from one small conversation. My two, they weren't going to survive.

I walked down the lit hallway, seeing the people passing me by and not giving me the light of day, but seeing one familiar face from the year before coming my way. I knew his face, since I remembered the interaction we had one year prior. His jawline, the ear poking out slightly from the borne swept sided hair, those warm eyes.

Oliver

"Well look who's back to mentoring, Willow the Deceiver." He said to me in his warm tone. Somehow, when he first spoke that moment in the hallway when we met there, it made me miss his voice from the year before. His voice reminded my of home, safety and protection. And he looked a bit older, although it has been a year since we last saw each other. I smiled at him a warm grin, knowing that it would be nice to be proper to the guy.

"And Oliver from District 5." I replied back to him, seeing him give me a small laugh.

"Oh and I don't get a fancy nickname? That hurts." he said in playful banter as we both smiled in the hallway.

"I never remembered you for anything extraordinary when you fought in the games." I replied back to him in either playful tone or in banter. He smirked at me as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"So, since we are mentors again, what is it going to take for me to have a drink with you?" He asked me, having me tai a step back with a grin on my face, I never took him for being consistent or forward with women, and Finnick is the only friend I knew who would do that. And since I just the guy, this was a bit usual for him. Not only that, I was never a girl who got hit on constantly, not being the pretty one in the bunch.

"Someone's confident in himself." I replied back to him as we both walked together to the mentor meeting room. Oliver laughed next to me and shrugged

"What can I say, I wanna get to know you. You seem like someone who is interesting." He replied back to me in a casual light tone. I never saw myself like that, only damaged and broken. The games left me damaged, unable to be fixed. Who was this guy trying to fix me, or was he even trying to fix me?

"I'm not that interesting." I said to him in a honest time. He shook his head.

"I doubt that." He said to me in a smirk as we turned the corner towards the mentor room.

"What makes me interesting?" I asked him in a curious tone. We both stopped in front of the mentor room, hang me face him with him raising a eyebrow at me. I could see that he was also interesting. I wanted to know him too, since for some reason I was drawn to him.

"The fact you used your head in the arena more than your power. That's interesting." he said to me as he walked away from me into the mentor room. I watched him with my eyes, thinking of how he wanted to know me for my brain. He looked at the one strength people saw as weak, and he saw it as interesting. So that was it.

I needed to get to know Oliver Watson from District 5.


	4. I'm Going Back

2 Months after the 72nd Hunger Games

"So, tell me a bit about yourself." Oliver asked me aloud as we both sat in one of the bars of the Capitol. Since the games ended, having the Victor from District 2 as a the winner going on his tour, Oliver wanted to get to know me a bit more since we only talked once or twice throughout the Games. I went home to check on my brother, and since JOhanna and Finnick went back to their own Districts, I had time to kill before heading home. It was mostly to stay out of District 8, seeing some of the pain gong through the area and I didn't want to deal with that to begin with.

"I feel as though you know a bit more about me." I replied back to him as he took a drink from his glass. I could see from his smile and how he sat in the chair, that this was not new for him to get to know ladies. At least that's what I got from just talking to him. He placed the glass back on the bar in froth of us and faced me, folding his hands in front of him.

"What makes you say that?" He asked me in a curious tone. I drank a bit more from my glass and eyed him.

"Well I am Victor." I said to him, seeing him nod his head.

"As am I." He replied to me.

"And our private lives are no longer private as soon as we win the games, you know that." I said to him aloud, knowing that it was true. My life was no longer private, in which that I hated the most from all of the games, knowing that people wanted to know about my life, who I was dating, and what I was wearing. It was terrible, knowing that my secrets were no longer mines.

"I can relate to that the most." Oliver explained to me, having me snap back to reality. I could some of the seriousness in his eyes when he only said that one sentence. It was sudden to me, that all of the Victors had to deal with the privacy differently. I knew my own pains were seen by the people every once in awhile, but Olivers? Who was to know. I felt as though I made it awkward when I spoke about it. So I cleared my throat as I looked at him, wanting to make our time better.

"So you won the 62nd Hunger Games? 10 years ago?" I asked him aloud, seeing him nod his head. I could tell he knew I was trying to make it more casual for the both of us.

"I was 17." Oliver said aloud in almost a grin.

"So that makes you officially old." I joked with him. He smirked as he took another drink from his glass, having me watch some of the drinks disappear into his mouth and down his throat.

"I'm not that old." He said in almost a pained voice, but I somehow knew he was joking. I laughed from my spot and held up my hands as if I was in defense.

"Oh I'm sorry for bruising your ego." I said back to him. He laughed with me as he eyed me.

"And you're what, 23?" He asked me as I drank from my own drink.

"Way to hit below the belt there buddy." I said under my breath for only him to hear. There was a nice moment of silence between us as we saw the waiter refill our drinks and I could see Oliver fidgeting with his tie that he was wearing.

"As much as I love talking about the Games with other mentors, how about we don't talk about that right now." Oliver said to me, making me have a genuine smile on my face. For the first time in awhile, I was going to have a normal conversation with another person, no longer talking about the Games and what happened to me.

"I would love that." I said back to him, seeing him smile right back at me and then look down for a mere second. Something inside of me became warm, for the first time since hours before I was reaped.

I was happy.

* * *

Present Day

"What did the Capitol say about the riot?" My father asked me brother as we sat in the living room of my brother's mansion. Since the riot, I was told from other sources that it all came from Katniss and Peeta, the Victors of 12 who just won the Hunger Games. Since they didn't eat the berries, everything started to unravel for all of the people around them. The riot that we saw the other night was from the reaction of the pair of them on their tour, making me feel as though things are going to change in Panem forever.

"They haven't said anything just yet, but I doubt it will be something that is completely true." My brother replied to him, having me sit next to him and listen to him. Since he won the games, My brother never wanted anything to do with the Capitol, and he was never there to help with mentoring when they started to ask him. He stayed away from the Capitol, and for some reason they did leave him be. I was the one from the two of use to decided to help with the mentoring, since I knew my brother needed the space more than I did.

"Something big could be brewing with the Capitol because of the long silence that's been happening." I placed in my input as I felt my brother take my hand in his. I knew this was going to be something bad, but something inside of me was somewhat glad that I was a safe. It sounded selfish, but the Victors were supposed to be safe from the harm of the Capitol.

"Lets just hope that it dies down soon." My dad said aloud in the room, having me look at him finally. He was still young for being a father, since he became a father to twins when he was barely 18 years old, right after he escaped ever being reaped for the Games. But to see see the look of constant work and worry on my father's face, and even seeing the eyes that watched both of his children almost go their death beds, it seemed too much for him. I hated putting him through that, and seeing him already go through it once. I hoped nothing would happen to me or Samson, just for the sake of my father.

Before someone could say another word about the conversation, our television came to life as we saw the Capitol's symbol being seen on the screen. We all went silent and watched from our spots as the anthem was blaring in the home. A part of me did not want to see what was going to be announced, but then again I wanted to know what Snow wanted. This made me want to contact Oliver and see how he was feeling about tho whole thing, since he was the only thing that was making me feel safe. I see President Snow standing up at the podium and start to talk about the 75th Hunger Games, being the Third Quarter Quell and having a special theme to the Games. Everytime he spoke, my heart will still continue to drop lower and lower to the floor as I felt Samson clutch his hand in mine. But it was what he just said next, the one piece of information that made me want to scream at the top of my lungs.

"As a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."

Oh no…..Samson and I are going back to the Games. Well, at least I am….


	5. Square One

I ran as fast as I could, not looking behind me or hearing my brother call out my name. I had to run, something inside of me snapped as I ran farther and farther away from Victor Village. The message that was made, the announcement that made my nightmares and screams in my head come back, it was all too real and raw for me. The faster I ran, the more the reality slammed into me.

I was going back to the arena.

It was a sure thing for me, I was the only female still alive from my District. My own fate was sealed, and to make it worse, I knew my chances of survival was very slim. So, death was going to greet me after all. I was not even 25 years old yet, and I was thinking about death. I mean, I could of thought of death when I was 16 running in the arena, but this was worse.

Much worse.

My brother had a one in three chance. There were two other male victors still alive and I knew them both. If my brother as to be called, we both were to go back to the arena and….no. I couldn't think like that. That can't happen with us. We were close, I'll admit to that. But he wouldn't make that bonehead of a move to go into the Games with me next to him. If he did, he knew either we both were going to die, or one of us will.

I stopped running at the edge of the city in the District, before reaching the train station and seeing the vase nothingness of the rest of the District in front of me. District 8 was one of the poorest Districts in Panem, all of the grass is now dead and brown, crisped up from now vegetation or proper care. I have never seen grass before the Hunger Games, and seeing it in the fields of the mountains was one of the very small perks of being in the Games.

But that wasn't reality, this dead wasteland was reality.

Tears poured down my face as I clutched my jacket near my heart, feeling it break as I cried at the edge of the town. There was no hope for me to survive this, I knew that. But it was as if I was 16 years old all over again, feeling the gut fear of death in front of me and knowing I could not do a single thing about it. My own life was out of my hands, and it was happening all over again.

How was I going to face my own father, seeing him in tears as his only daughter goes off to fight once more. It was bad enough seeing him scream at the Peacekeeprs who took me when I was 16, fighting against the soldiers like a wild animal and then hearing him still screeching as I was taken away. Could I hear it again, could I handle it? Who was going to protect him during this now? My brother?

Oh Samson.

I was afraid for him then, knowing he still had a chance of dodging the bullet and another taking his spot. But knowing Sampson, he wasn't going to let me go without a fight. He tried to protect me so many times through the nightmares and the memories, but to see me go without his permission. It wasn't going to fly, not with him. If he made a stupid decision…going in with me.

I could never forgive him.

I looked past the trees that lined the District that was so far away and so small, I felt as though I could never escape from anything they would throw at me. If only I could run, hide away from the world like before, for the past 7 years. I was hiding, only coming out once a year to be a mentor to potential dead children. But now I was about to be the victim.

"Willow?" I heard behind me, having me turn around slowly and see my brother and father about 5 feet away from me, looking at me with sorrow in their own eyes. I knew they were both angry with the news, and they had the right to be. But it was worse for me, since I had no choice. My brother had a better chance, a bigger chance, to make it out alive. Sampson walked over to me slowly, having me see that he was already done with this own tears. He gently framed my face in his hands and I saw the pain in his eyes and in his face. I broke down in sobs then, feeling myself and Sampson fall to our knees on the dirt floor and clutching each other close. We were both victims of our own minds, the mere weapon we used to survive.

"We're gonna be through this, Will." Sampson said to me in a broken tone as I sobbed into his chest, How could be say that to me, he knew my chances of coming out of these games were slim to none. I opened my eyes for a second, looking past my twin and seeing our father. His eyes were on me the whole time, but I saw more pain in his eyes than Sampson. I knew he was going to face the pain go loosing a child all over again. He walked over slowly and stood behind us as his own children sobbed in the sea field.

Back to square one.

* * *

That night, Sampson was meeting with the other two victors from District 8: Veetro and Chase. They both were in their late 50's, only winning the games about 3 years apart from each other. Veetro was the only male from District 8 who had strength on his side, using the muscles he got from working in the factory as his weapon and literally throwing tributes over their heads. As for Chase, his was pure luck. According to him, he just hid out and stayed out of the way of the tributes until the last one against him died from a mutated snake nit him and poisoned him. None the less, they both were good and still in good enough shape.

I knew they had to figure out who was going to go into the Games if given the choice, and I didn't want anything to do with it. My own fate was sealed, so the last thing they needed was my input when it was not needed at all. I went back to my own mansion as the three Victors met at Chase's mansion, which was next to mine on the right. I sat in the living room, looking down at box that I pulled out from storage. I placed it there the moment I came home from the Games 8 years ago, because what was in the box was the symbol of my games and what I fought for in order to win and live. I opened the top, hearing the click as the lid stayed in place and showed me what was inside.

Ash's slingshot.

I snagged it from his cold hand after killing the girl from District 1 and hearing two cannons go off. I knew it was the one thing I needed to take in order to remember Ash in a positive light. It was still somewhat new since I held it last 8 years ago, seeing the tan reflect in the dim room and the feeling the leather on my fingers as I touched the slingshot in it's spot in the box. Gently, as if it was made of glass, I raised the slingshot from the box and held it in both of my hands, instantly remembering what Ash taught me about using this against the enemies. I closed my eyes, seeing his face in my mind and hearing his scream before he was murdered in front of me.

Before I knew it, there was a knock at the door, having me come back to reality and place the slingshot back in the box, closing it and walking over to the front door. I placed my hand on the doorknob and twisted it, opening the door slowly and seeing who was there win front of me. The one person who I one would make everything right again, yet was in the same boat as I was.

Oliver.

I gasped, seeing him rush over to me and scoop me in his arms and hug me close. Just being near to him and breathing him in once more was more than I needed in this time. I missed his face, his smile, his scent and his embrace. But before I could even think about the joy of seeing him, I pulled away from him and scanned him up and down. I saw that he was in fact upset after what happened, but is he at risk?

"Are you…..did they…" I asked, but the right words didn't come out that way I wanted them to. Oliver shook his head and kissed my forehead in such a loving way I knew it might break me if it had a ounce more force.

"I have a one in 5 chance of being picked. It won't be me. It won't be me, Willow." He said to me over and over again. I knew it was true, since there was a higher number of Victors in 5 than in 8. His chance was better than Sampson's chance. I nodded my head as he looked down at me with worried eyes.

"Where's your brother?" He asked me aloud.

"With Chase and Veetro, walking about what they want to do." I replied back to him bring to hold back the pain in my voice. But his eyes were still on me and he knew what was going to happen to me. He knew my situation from the moment he looked at me, and when he met me 4 years ago. But he just stood here, framing my head and stared at me. That's all I needed, was Oliver there with me and making sure I was alive and not doing anything stupid.

"Listen, I know this is not looking good for you, Willow. But you need to trust me, we can figure this out for you." Oliver explained to me as we looked at each other. I knew he was trying to make it better, I could see it in his eyes. He was desperate to save me, knowing my head was already on the chopping block. But I shook my head, trying to make it more reality than fiction.

"I have no chance Oliver." I said to him in almost a sad tone. I knew it was true, since I was going go up against other winners and I would only have to use my brains. This time, it was going to be no hope for me. Oliver shook his head defiantly when I told him this, almost in tears once more,

"Don't say that, Willow. Why would you say that?" He asked me, his voice was almost about to break.

"OIiver, I had no chance. I'm going to fight against other winners, and for me to get out of there alive is very slim. I have to think of the reality of it all, and I'm not gonna make it." I said to him in more of a demand than a soft tone. I knew it was harsh for me to tell them that, but I had to think realistically. I was thankful for having Oliver to give me a sense of hope from time to time. But this time, this wasn't going to work.

Oliver said nothing, and I knew he realized it that there was no hope for me. Not this time. This was different from when I was 16, this was scarier and more of a threat. I could die within hours of starting the Games. He simply gave a sweet kiss on the lips, holding it there to show that he truly cared for me and what was going to happen. I missed his kisses, they were sweet and loving, as if he was careful with me. He wasn't a expert kisser, showing me he hardly kissed anyone before me. BUt this kiss was different, it was a scary kiss.

He was scared for me.


	6. I Was Satisfied

73rd Hunger Games

I just arrived back at the Capitol for mentoring the two new tributes from my District. They both were scared out of their minds, which was normal for when we exited the train and walked over to our building. I was behind them, all three of us smiling and seeing the people walk with us and try to get our attention. I was numb to the whole charade, but they weren't. It was as if they were deer in the headlights, scared and frozen.

"Just keep walking and don't mind them. Smile, as if this is nothing to you." I said to the both of them behind their ears as they walked. I saw the female smile and wave as we walked, but the boy looked as if he was about to cry. I watched him, seeing a bit of myself in him when I was in his shoes. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he looked back at me. HIs big green eyes were filled with fear.

"It's okay." I say to him, seeing him nod his head. I used a softer tone of voice than before, knowing it was better for him. He looked forward once more and smiled a bit, hearing some cheer from the crowds around us as we made out way to the building together. I looked behind me, seeing some more tributes walking with their mentors through the waves of people who wanted a look at this years victims. But I wasn't looking at the tributes, I was looking at the mentors. I spotted Finnick with his two tributes, smiling widely with them as girl flocked to him. He looked at me and nodded his head once as I looked behind him towards a familiar face. He walked with the two tributes from District 5, both were smiling as well as he was. I smiled, seeing our eye connect. SInce we haven't talked in about a few weeks, I wanted to at least see him alone for awhile.

"Let's get you guys to the apartment, okay?" I asked them aloud as we walked to out building. The two tributes under my wing nodded their heads as we walked in. I saw the crowd staying outside of the building, having us another moment of peace. I looked at the two tributes, one of them was only 16 and the other 15. The girl was trying to put on a brave face as the boy was still trying to not cry over what was going on.

"Okay, whenever you guys are out in the public eye, whether walking from our apartment to the training or just moving around together, always remember that people are watching you. Always smile and show that you're happy. It's hard." I said to them, looking at the boy in particular, "But it's just the way this whole thing works. Understand?" They both nodded their heads and I smiled at him. I knew mentors who were brutal to their tributes, and I never wanted to be like one of them.

"Come on, the worst of it is over." I said in a small grin, seeing the both of them smile back. We walked over to the elevator and entered, having the glass look out into the big Capitol. The three of us looked at the city as we went up floor by floor. I only looked at the two tributes, seeing their eyes filled with fascination and wonder at the big skyscrapers and how beautiful it looked. This was their first, and maybe only taste of what true city beauty looked like, compared to our District which was one of the poorest in Panem.

"I've only seen this on the TV every where with the reaping," The male said aloud, having me look down at him and see his eyes look over the city. he then looked over at me and I saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"But it's not so bright now as it was." He replied, having me realize that he saw the true nature of the city. Better now then later.

Better alive than dead.

* * *

That night when my tributes were asleep, I went up to the roof of the building and wanted to look out onto the city alone It was nice to have peace and quiet when going through the Hunger Games. I realized that was a bit attached to my tributes at this time, thinking that it was going to harder than the other years, since I knew these two were mere humans and were going to die quickly.

I watched the skyline as I felt the warm breeze come through area. It was the only time when I saw peace in the city, even though the chaos and mess of the world I was living in. But I did miss the nights of District 8. Even though I lived in the poorest District, it was still the most beautiful at night. The lights would turn off late at night and I would see the stars coming out to light the sky, so many stars that were lit and filled with some kind of joy. I ran some of my fingers through my read hair, trying to feel some peace in the moment.

"What are you doing up here by yourself?" I heard behind me, knowing that voice as I turned behind me. I saw Oliver standing there, hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. I smiled from my spot, my heart feeling a bit warmer just a bit from only seeing them there. We spoke every once in awhile in between the 72nd and 73rd Hunger Games, visiting each other at our homes and having dinner together. At first, I would get the awkward stares from my brother and father when Oliver would visit, and I met his family when I went to District 5. He lived with both of his parents and little sisters. I loved his family, and they believed we were going to be together. At first I brushed it off, but as we spent time together and became close, the thought of a romantic relationship. Could it happen between us, Oliver and I?

"I needed from fresh air, away from the chaos." I replied back to him as he walked up and joined me in my right side. We both looked out at the city, having a moment of peace between us.

"How are your tributes this year?" I asked Oliver aloud. He shrugged from his spot as I looked at him, seeing his tinted face in the nightlight that was over the city.

"They're the same as years before." He replied, as if it was nothing new for them. I nodded my head, seeing him look over at me as I scanned the city.

"How about your pair? You think they can make it?" He asked me aloud, I thought about it for a moment or two, thinking of the odds that my tributes had compared to the other tributes.

"It doesn't look too good. I don't think they'll last through the first night." I said to him in more of a sorrowful tone, having myself realize that the small connection that I had with my tributes was going to bite me in the ass later when I watch them die.

"I don't think I could ever get used to seeing them go into the arena….and to never come back." I said aloud, thinking to myself without realizing that I was saying it aloud. But it was true, and to think I would be numb to the thought by now. But it was still painful, year after year. I wasn't like Haymitch, who did not care at all about the young kids going to their deaths. I knew he had a heart, but what happened to him in the Games turned sour and became part of his life: Pain.

I felt Oliver take my hand gently in his, making his feel the spread of warmth throughout my body from a simple hand grasping. I looked down at our joined hands, seeing that our hands looked perfect together. Both of our hands, scared from being the arena and having blood on our hands, yet we complimented each other. I smiled, just from seeing our joined hands and I looked up at Oliver, seeing him smile at me as well. Something about being with Oliver, talking about our time in the arena and also what our favorite colors were, and just being with each other as a sense of peace, made me think I was falling for him.

"No one ever does." Oliver simply replied and I felt a sense of peace coming over me. Just holding his hand made me feel like I was a teenager once more. Sure there was a age difference, and sure we came from different Districts, but we shared the Hunger Games together. As morbid as it sounded, we knew that we could run with that comparison.

"So, my sisters are wanting to know when you're coming back over for dinner." Oliver said aloud in a light tone to lighten the mood. I laughed, knowing that it was no longer awkward between us from that one remark.

"I miss them terribly. Next time I come to see your family I should teach them how to sew." I said to him with a grin, hearing him laugh.

"Not to mention my mother, she likes you." He said aloud, having me raise a eyebrow at him and seeing almost a tint of red on his cheeks.

"Your mother is very kind." I said to him, seeing him nod his head.

"Kinder than me I can say." Oliver said aloud, having me shake my head and face him from my spot.

"I think you're kind, kinder than most of the mentors here." I explained to him, "And let's be honest, you're better looking than the other male tributes." I walked away from Oliver a bit, looking over to my left and peering over the edge as I said this to him, But when I looked back over my shoulder at him, I noticed him looking at me with a coy look in his eyes.

"You think I'm cute?" He asked me, placing his hands behind his back and walking over to me as if he was analyzing me. I looked back over the rooftop once more just to see the world below us. But I was mostly trying to not to show my blushing only my face. But the way he said that I liked him, it made me feel exposed in front of him. The last thing that I want to feel, was exposed out in the open, something I hated since i became affiliated with the Hunger Games.

I turned around to face him once more, but he was right in front of me and kissed me square in the mouth. I was frozen in my spot, feeling nothing but his lips on mine and my heart bursting into a million of pieces. My mind went blank and my eyes automatically closed, but I felt his place his hands on my shoulders, making me then feel safe and secure close to him. Safety was something I missed feeling, since I never felt it after coming out of the Games. But Oliver gave me the sense of safety, safety and calmness. The kiss itself was soft, but I was glad he kissed me since I wanted to kiss him for awhile now.

He pulled away and looked down at me, his eyes were big and looking so warm, just as warm as when I first met him. I couldn't speak for awhile, but it must of been because of the kiss that made me loose my breath.

"I think you're beautiful." He replied, making me smile widely in his embrace. For one moment I knew I was going to be okay, to be happy for once in my adult years, and to have love from someone not from my family. For the first time in years.

I was satisfied.


End file.
